YOUR SAY: Both major political parties remain a major disappointment

I'm disenchanted with Labor having ditched so many of their creditable policies from the last election because they are fearful of voter backlash again.

Nevertheless, I am convinced we must see the back of the present Coalition government.

Fortunately, we have an outstanding local member in Indi (the independent Helen Haines) and I just hope that many more independents succeed in the next election.

I believe there is a good chance of that, as a number of communities have adopted the same methods as "Voices for Indi", which has managed to return independents at the last three federal elections.

If Labor disappoints, it is nothing compared to the Coalition.

Every week it seems our federal government is breaking new ground with its disgraceful actions.

Last week alone, we had revelations that many regional grants were given to inner city projects like the Collingwood Football Club to build a sports medical research hub, and to the Coojee Beach Surf Club in Sydney.

Secondly, there was the unprecedented House of Reps voting by Coalition members against the speaker's stance that there was a prima facie case that Christian Porter's "blind trust" should be examined by the Privileges Committee.

And then there was the wait on the National Party to decide if it would finally support some climate-control initiatives (after eight years of inaction by the government).

And when the decision came, it will almost certainly be a meaningless long-term commitment without anything much planned for the immediate future.

In the same week, Sussan Ley (member and Minister for the Environment) approved three new coal mines.

And our wonderful independent Helen Haines has had a Bill to establish a federal anti-corruption committee with teeth for well more than a year now, but Scott Morrison told her again this week that he won't allow it to be presented to the lower house.

It seems that if people don't read a reputable newspaper (ie, a non-Murdoch paper) and/or watch ABC news, 7.30, Four Corners and other ABC programs to be informed, then all this deceit passes them by.

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For years, we have been warned that the international community will not sit idly by while Australia ignores its moral obligation to play a part in reducing greenhouse emissions.

We've been told time and time again that Australia will eventually have to start paying the price for expecting everyone else to shoulder the burden of action on climate.

It's therefore slightly amusing to see your correspondent David Everist now aghast that it's finally starting to happen (On the Wallaby, October 23).

He reports "European countries will place heavy tariffs on our produce if we do not fall into line over carbon emissions" and US Democrats have suggested "unless we reduce emissions the nuclear submarine deal is off."

Rather than indignant huffing we'd be better off doing not just what our trading partners want, but what's also good for us.

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